Friday, May 29, 2015

Homemade Mawa / Khoya



Preparation time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 50  mins

Ingredients:


Whole milk - 1.5 lts

Method:


  1. Bring milk to boil in a heavy bottomed non stick pan. Simmer the gas once it boils
  2. Simmer  it till it reduces to 1/4th scraping off the sides in between. It may take upto 25mins
  3. Once it reduces to 1/4th, it will become thick and has changed its colour from white to light brown
  4. Now keep an eye on milk as it may burn quickly after this stage. Stir occasionally and cook on low flame
  5. After 10 mins, stir continuously scraping off the sides till it starts to come together
  6. Once its starts to combine, switch off the flame and let it cool
  7. Mawa is ready to use
Notes
  1. Condensed milk can also be made from this reduced milk. Add sugar and cardemom after step 3
  2. Several dishes can be made with mawa like mawa gujiya, mawa laddoo


Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Tomato Veggie Bruschetta


Tomato Veggie Bruschetta


Cuisine: Italian (Appetizer)
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients:


Kraftkorn bread loaf - 1  (you can use any bread of your choice)
Mozarella cheese - 1 pkt
Oregano Seasoning - 1/2 tsp
Bell Pepper (yellow and red) - 1/2 cup
Tomatoes - 6
Garlic - 6-7 cloves
Basil - 3-4 leaves
Olive oil - 1 cup
Black olives - 2 tbsp
Jalapeno - 2 tbsp
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp

Method:


  1. Cut the bread into slices and preheat the oven at 200deg.
  2. In a bowl, finely chop tomato and basil. Add olive oil, salt, pepper. Mix  properly
  3. Grate mozarella cheese and keep aside
  4. Mince garlic. Mix half of garlic with tomato basil mixture and set aside
  5. In a hot pan, add amul butter. Once it melts, add garlic to it and simmer it for few  mins
  6. Brush your slices with butter-garlic mixture and bake in  preheated oven at 200 deg for 10 mins, flipping sides after 5 mins in between
  7. Now pour tomato mixture over it. Add mozarella cheese,olives and jalapenos and  sprinkle oregano 
  8. Bake again at 200 deg for 15 mins or till cheese melts.Keep a watch after 10mins
  9. Serve hot!   

Tomato Exotica
Notes:

  1. Variations can be made to this recipe by adding veggies of your choice  like baby corn, sweet corn, capsicum, mushroom, onion
  2. Baking time may vary depending on the oven you are using
  3. Variations in bread loaf can also be done
  4. If you  are using garlic bread then use less quantity of garlic as per recipe measurements


Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Tomato Basil pasta

Nutrition facts:
Calories - 320 




Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 15 - 20 mins
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Penne pasta - As required
Tomatoes- 6
Garlic - 5-6 cloves
Basil -  6-8 leaves
Olive oil - 1/4 cup
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Salt  - to taste

Method:

  1. Bring water to boil. Add pasta to it and cook till al dente (slightly undercooked)
  2. Puree the tomatoes. Mince garlic and keep aside
  3. In a pan add 1 tbsp olive oil and basil. Cook it for 3-4 mins till flavours blend. Keep aside
  4. Pour some olive oil in a pan and add minced garlic
  5. Add tomato puree and cook till it starts leaving oil
  6. Add under cooked pasta. 
  7. Sprinkle seasoning, salt, black pepper and basil-olive oil
  8. Cook on low flame for 3-4 mins
  9. Serve hot!
Notes:
  1. Cheese can also be added to  make it more yummy
  2. Do not cook pasta fully initially otherwise it will get overcooked by the end

Tomato bruschetta

Bruschetta is a antipasto means starter dish from Italy, consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil.


Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories- 102


Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Tomatoes- 8
French bread loaf – 1
Mozarella cheese- 1 pkt
Garlic – 1/2 cup
Olive oil- 2 cups
Basil - 1/2 cup
Oregano- 1tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

  1.  Cut the French bread loaf into slices
  2.  Peel and mince garlic. Finely chop tomatoes and keep aside
  3. Grate cheese and keep aside
  4. Heat 3tbsp olive oil in a pan and add 1 tsp garlic 
  5. Roughly tear basil and keep aside
  6. Now brush bread loaves with olive oil mixture and bake in preheated oven at 220 deg for 3 mins
  7. In a big bowl, mix chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, oregano, black pepper
  8. Add tomato mixture to bread slices. Top it with cheese and bake at 200 deg for 10 mins or till cheese melts and serve
     Notes:
  1.      Variations can be made by adding olives, beans, cheese or any other veggies of your choice
  2.      Best enjoyed hot as it has cheese

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Falafel

Falafel is a traditional middle eastern food, commanly served in a pita pockets. Falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, drizzled with tahini based sauces. Falafel balls may also be enjoyed alone as a snack or appetizer with tzatziki sauce as dip

Nutrition Facts
1 patty of falafel = 57 calories




Preparation Time: 3 hrs
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Cuisine: Lebanese

Ingredients

Chickpeas- 1 cup
Refined flour - 1/2 cup
Fresh coriander(Chopped) - 2 tbsp
Grounded coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Onion- 1
Sesame seeds- 1tbsp
Roasted cumin powder - 2 tsp
Red chilli flakes  - 1 tbsp
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1 pinch
Salt - to taste

Method

  1. Soak chickpeas for 3-4 hours
  2. Drain chickpeas and mix all the ingredients in blender and blend them coarsely. It should resemble bread crumbs
  3. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add refined flour (maida) to it as per requirement for binding
  4. Deep fry falafels and keep on tissue paper to drain excess oil
  5. Wrap it in pita bread with zuccini, lettuce, tzatziki dip, tahini and chipotle sauce and enjoy